


sparkling SOLDIER

by ectocosme



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Magical Girls, Gen, caution: sparks & glitters & pretty skirts, crackish
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-22
Updated: 2018-01-03
Packaged: 2019-01-04 00:32:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12157962
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ectocosme/pseuds/ectocosme
Summary: SOLDIERs often face strange situations and find strange artefacts. Though, changing into a magical girls is a bit above the level of weirdness they're accustomed to.1: Angeal2: Genesis & Sephiroth3: Zack4: Cloud





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> the magical girl!soldier au that popped out of nowhere

Angeal yawned and stumbled into his bathroom. He groaned at the sight of Zack’s dirty uniform lying on a pile next to the shower. It wasn’t a rare sight, Zack often used his shower when they returned from a long mission and shared a meal. Angeal never knew when Zack genuinely forgot to put in the wash his clothes or was plain lazy.

He took the clothes and dumped them in his laundry basket. A ‘tunk’ made him glance at the clothes, then rummage with a dissatisfied sound in them. Angeal sighed at the abandoned materia he had in hand. Zack had taken all his belts and pauldrons, apparently the rest of his materias, but forgot this one.

Angeal turned it in his hand, curious about the unusual pink colour it had. Though it disappeared quickly, the materia ending white, with a faint blue hue. What a curious materia.

Angeal pocketed it, intent on returning it the moment he met Zack again.

* * *

 

He didn’t cross Zack’s before he was sent to another mission. It should have been a simple enough mission for a First and a couple of Third an Second SOLDIERs, though everything went to hell. The forest where they were hunting monsters was riddled with traps put by Shinra’s dissidents. The villagers worried for their lives had tricked them apparently or were tricked too.

Angeal was separated from the group while defending their backs.

“I won’t give you back you materia if it continues like that,” Angeal muttered to an imaginary Zack as he took a moment to take back his breath behind a tree.

He rubbed the little glob poking his thigh and felt it warm suddenly. Angeal worried when his mana was aspired by the thing when he hadn’t thought about casting it. Or he thought but didn’t put enough intent behind it. Yet, it started glowing. Angeal took it from his pocket and was blinded by the light.

When he opened his eyes, he was floating in a space of navy blue stars and white sparkling background. A disbelieving sound escaped him as he tried to move and his eyes caught sight of his own sky coloured body. Something nudged at the back of his mind like the strange presence summons materias had. His heart skipped a beat when his body moved without his consent.

Angeal cradled the materia in his hands, a sweet little music playing from nowhere, and kissed it. Internally he frowned. He extended his arms and, with a sound effect, a top appeared on his chest, letting a trail of glitter explode around him. He made a sauté and ended up with white thighs high with a navy blue edge and sweet ankle boot.

Weirded out Angeal forced his mana to stop alimenting the cast, to no avail.

A single font white pleated skirt appeared with the same blueish sparkles and he smoothed it automatically. He clapped his hands for gloves and solid protection to materialise up to his elbows. Then a deep blue ribbon tied itself at his chest, holding up the materia glowing faintly.

The bubble exploded and he landed on the ground in a crouched position. He stood up quickly, still pushed by something, and made a peace sign in front of his eyes.

“In the name of Honor and Dream I will punish you!” he clamored.

The large group of dissidents was frozen, almost as surprised as Angeal who felt himself flush at his silly get-up he didn’t see even the half.

A man moved his phone higher and took a photograph, his expression slack with surprise.

Angeal frowned and flexed his hands into fists. No time to be embarrassed, whatever happened, he still could punch the light out of someone and he was more than ready to do so. Eliminating everyone would keep his embarrassment to himself too.

Angeal tensed, then leaped at the closest man. He planted his foot on the ground, drew his fist back and shouted, “Lightning Fist!”

In a lightning of blue and white glow, his fist collided with the man’s face. Angeal’s speed stunned himself, he’d never reached such quick movements. He jumped back, glanced at his fist covered in the glinting blue and white protection, and chuckled. The materia, if very strange, seemed to have good points.

Before anyone could react, he jumped back in the fray, another silly attack name on his lips.

“Honor Smasher!”

Yelling the name of each attack was a bit annoying, but nobody could avoid it, and the attack didn’t repeat enough for non-enhanced people to be able to draw a pattern. A round of bullets coming at him made his heart come to a halt until the faint presence of the materia in his head moved him again. He crossed his arms in front of him.

“Active Guard!”

A circle of protection worthy of Genesis’ ones stopped the bullets from hitting him. The rest of the dissidents still there decided to retreat. Angeal didn’t let them go. He wanted the phone and its photograph or he’d  _die_.

After the fight, he stood amongst the pile of men, a hand on his hip and scrolling through the photographs. He grimaced at many 'sexy’ ones, then sighed when he found the one he wanted. He looked positively silly with his skirt, bustier, jacket and side ponytails. On the picture, sparkles were still visible, floating around him.

Although, the attacks were pretty impressive. Angeal glanced at his work, then at his skirt, then around him. He lifted his hands so they weren’t in the way, and twirled. The clothe moved and drapped lovingly around his thighs. A chuckle escaped him, the ensemble was silly, but it was fun.

The magic ended with an explosion of stars shaped forms, though with round edges. Angeal looked down at himself, his boring dark pants had returned. He sighed, maybe he’d indulge in a change of top. Shinra never reprehended Genesis or Sephiroth for it.


	2. gen & sephy

Angeal observed the fight between Genesis and Sephiroth calmly. He jumped in when he didn’t feel like being out of it anymore and enjoyed himself until it degenerated. Genesis’ temper acted at one of Sephiroth’s honest and a bit cruel comment, and everything went to hell.

A hard kick in the stomach made him hit a wall. His head encountered the solid material created to survive SOLDIERs fight and he ended on the ground, his vision swimming. At least Genesis joined him quickly.

Angeal sat, putting a hand to his eyes, while Genesis eyed the ceiling with an angered frown. He leapt at him and took the first materia he found. Angeal’s heart stopped a second when he saw Genesis’ hand closed on a materia. They all agreed not to take materias when they were fighting not to damage VHRs rooms too much. Or each other.

Then a sparkling bubble surrounded Genesis. Angeal blinked at it, seeing no trace of his friends who had been swallowed by the pinkish human tailored glob.

“What is that?” Sephiroth asked slowly, coming closer.

Angeal’s surprise went away and he pinched his lips not to smile widely.

Sephiroth frowned and glanced at the man still on the ground, next to the sparkling and glinting bubble that made  _music_. Sephiroth backed away a bit from whatever the thing was and heard Angeal’s strangled sound. When he looked back at Angeal, the man’s head was ducked low and he had a hand on his face to hide it.

“Angeal?”

The bubble burst out, and Genesis floated slowly to the ground, his hairs swirling around him. He put a foot on the ground and struck a pose, winking at them.

“Love and Passion guide me!”

Then he stood there, aghast and in a weird costume.

Angeal looked up and down at the redhead, who was now a pink haired man.

“What are you wearing?” Sephiroth asked, breathless.

“A fuchsia tulle skirt, a top with circular flounce sleeves and tie collar in different shades of white and pink, thigh high white socks and fuchsia knee-high boots,” Genesis answered in a breath in a manner that told Angeal the pink haired didn’t intend to. Genesis let escape a disbelieving chuckle, then agitated the thing in his hand, “And a… sceptre with a gold heart and this  _wondrous_  materia.”

That last part was Genesis all the way. Though, the precision in colours too. Angeal couldn't help laughing at the sight of his friend in girly attire. Sephiroth send him a worried look that only intensified his mirth.

Genesis sniffed and put a hand on his hip, “What’s so funny?”

“You look so girly!”

“You say it like it  _bad_ ,” Genesis hissed. He shook his head at his stupid childhood friend, the man should know that he didn’t make his coat pink because he wanted to be respected by his men and red was better for that than pink. “I  _like_ pink,” he said, lifting his chin. “And I’m stunning like that.”

Angeal’s laugh died slowly with a twinge of sadness at Genesis’ vexed frown.

“The hairs… are a bit much,” Sephiroth said. “The ribbons in them too. But the rest seems practical.”

Genesis snorted and rolled his eyes. Obviously, Sephiroth only looked at the practical side. He was blind to fashion. Genesis had been fooled by Sephiroth’s uniform before. He thought Sephiroth knew he was  _gorgeous_  in it and wore it on purpose. But he just liked how comfortable it was.

“It’s practical for me to put you in your place for your last insult,” Sephiroth added, his hand squeezing Masamune’s hilt.

It was the only warning before he leapt at Genesis. Angeal went out of the way, having neither the Buster Sword or the standard issued one. He was worried about Genesis until the first strike of heart-shaped magic hit Sephiroth. The fight that ensued was silly with Genesis’ attack and quite funny. Sephiroth’s faces of horror were hilarious for Angeal. And Genesis seemed to really dig his new capacities, wearing a broad smile and shouting the attacks’ names with glee.

There was also the little tidbit Angeal didn’t realise when _he_  used the materia. He could see Genesis frilly underwear. A pinkish shorty.

Sephiroth did remark it too. He stopped after Genesis did a backflip and ended in a defending position, waiting for the strike that didn’t come.

“It’s practical for fucking you too.”

Genesis screeched, making the two other SOLDIERs jump, then he threw his sceptre at Sephiroth’s head while shouting “pervert” at him.

Sephiroth didn’t avoid the sceptre, surprised by Genesis’ prudish reaction. The sceptre hit his forehead, and then Genesis, hunched over himself like he tried to hide, lost his new outfit.

Genesis blinked at the glitter elevating around him and pouted. It had been  _fun_. Why didn’t it last longer? Though his reaction, pushed by the materia’s presence, was beyond embarrassing.

Before Sephiroth could take the pink materia, Genesis snatched it up. He tried to cast again without result.

“Just work you silly thing!”

“It only worked for me once too,” Angeal said.

Both Genesis and Sephiroth looked up from their looming position above the materia to glance at him. Angeal groaned, why did he find necessary to open his mouth?

“When? How?” Genesis asked. “ _How did you look?_ ”

Angeal’s mind whirled with panic, he cleared his throat, came closer and nodded toward Sephiroth, “Try it, please.”

Sephiroth frowned, he knew perfectly well Angeal tentatively tried to put the attention on him. He was a bad liar. But it appealed enough at Genesis for him to push the materia in Sephiroth’s hand.

“I will not cast-”

His word was cut short when the materia activated nonetheless. Sephiroth moved his arm to throw the orb far from him though he didn’t have the time. Genesis and Angeal stepped back when the bubble appeared, englobing a horrified General. It was a pretty silver.

Hands in his back, Angeal gazed at the redhead on his side, “That was mean.”

Genesis only gave him a toothy smile, his eyes glinting like he was still under the materia influence.

Sephiroth was holding his sword against his chest in a protecting manner. He was so tense the leather of his new gloves with ribbons and Masamune’s hilt creaked. The black of his eyes were only slits. He looked like a terrified cat.

Genesis clapped his hands in front of his face, a terrible smile on his lips. He stepped closer to Sephiroth, pulling off one of his own gloves to touch the kimono sleeves of Sephiroth’s new attire.

“It’s like silk!” Genesis exclaimed. “Glistening silk!”

Sephiroth relaxed enough for one of his hands to let go of Masamune’s hilt while Genesis petted his clothed arm.

“I wonder why you still have Masamune,” Angeal commented, his eyes roaming the form that the attire made to Sephiroth.

Sephiroth had a short silver kimono with pale green patterns above a short pleated skirt. Angeal hummed at the sight of the thigh high stockings with little ribbons on the sides and Wutaiian shoes. Finally, Sephiroth’s hair was pulled up into a high ponytail with two strands of hairs framing his face. Plus a faint make-up.

“Isn’t Masamune a Summon?” Genesis asked.

“How do I stop that?” Sephiroth replied, ignoring Genesis.

“Aw, let us enjoy this a bit!” Genesis snubbed him.

Angeal smiled at the glare Sephiroth send the redhead, more interested in how Sephiroth looked than his lack of enjoyment.

“This materia is  _fascinating_!”

Sephiroth wasn’t feeling any of Genesis’ excitation, or the calm Angeal exuded. There was something in his head, at the far back of it, and the General wanted it out. It was a visceral reaction, even if the thing made no move to hurt him. He wanted it out.

He looked at himself, searching the damn materia with growing fear.

“Seph?” Angeal called as he saw the agitated man lift up his sleeves and look over himself.

“Where is the damn materia?” Sephiroth snarled.

Genesis took a step back at Sephiroth’s tone of voice, then pointed to Masamune’s hilt.

Sephiroth had a relieved sigh. He took the little materia dangling from a red string on Masamune and clutched it hard, intent on breaking it.

“Wait! No!” Genesis shouted.

The thing in Sephiroth’s head withdrew quickly, ending the cast in a heartbeat. Sparkles and glitter replaced the strange outfit, then whittled away.

Genesis pulled the materia out of his hand with a frown, then Angeal took back the orb. Genesis threw him a hurt look.

“It’s Zack’s, and I will give it back to him.”

Genesis scowled at him, then crossed his arms, but that was the end of it. He didn’t complain more, nor stole the materia. Neither did Sephiroth. But the poor man looked like a cat that just experienced his first dip into the water. Not a good experience.


	3. Chapter 3

The existence of the materia disappeared from Zack’s mind the moment he put it back in his pocket. There were too many events following each other for him. Zack was overwhelmed. Important tasks took precedent on anything else. He had no time to remind himself about the materia and what Angeal succinctly said about it. He just kept it in his pocket day after day when he changed clothes. Apart from that, he had no thought for it.

Then he was in a mako pod. Then out and running, only using things he had all his faith in. The unknown materia ended up more of a reminder about Aerith and by associations all the people waiting for him. He thought about using it once before sleeping to see what it did, so he could use it later in an informed manner. Yet the moment he laid down, he slept like a baby, too tired to stay awake a second more.

After that the days linked together quickly and –  _finally!_  - Midgar was in sight.

Boots hit the ground at a hard pace made his heart fell to his heels. Troops were on their trail. They were  _there_. For a second, Zack thought about hiding Cloud somewhere and running away. With luck, troopers would choose to follow Zack and the both of them would live, then reality came crashing on him. Troopers were given orders to kill or bring back the guineas pigs, Zack was certain of that. 

Either he abandoned Cloud. Acknowledged it fully and lived with it the rest of his life, or he fought, killed all the troopers threatening him and Cloud, and died.

The heroes in the movies always made it so easy: “ _Obviously I’ll sacrifice myself! I’ll go facing death with a smile on my lips and a heart full of bravery!_ ”

Zack had an incredulous laugh. He wasn't this kind of hero. He was scared.

He glanced at Cloud whose eyes were still drowned in mako. Cloud blinked slowly and focused on him a second, the ghost of a smile on his lips. Zack’s eyes prickled with a sudden rush of emotion. Behind them, the dreaded music of troopers approaching came closer.

Zack moved before his mind realised what he was going to do. He hid Cloud behind a rocky wall and ruffled the blond’s hair, then he stood again, thinking about the hero he idolised. All the real one died long ago. He was the new one.

At the edge of the cliff, Zack smiled to himself and drew Buster Sword in front of him, putting his forehead against the cool metal. A warmth in his right pocket spread rapidly, catching his attention. He pulled out the materia that exploded in bright lights, blinding him. The next thing he knew he was in a sphere of white and purple.

“Uh?”

He glanced down at his  _lilac_  body and emitted another confused sound, then a little music started, and Zack’s eyebrows lifted to his hairline with stunned confusion.

Zack felt something in his head and nearly died on the spot, sure Jenova was in his head again. The last time was when he was in the labs. But the thing felt warmer, friendlier. Zack poked it mentally, and it poked back.

A strong urge to do a back-flip took Zack. So he did. Maybe he was reacting to an attack the bubble prevented him to see, he thought. He touched the ground – marked by an incantation circle – and had suddenly a short dress in a lavender hue. Something compressed his torso, so he glanced at himself and made another disbelieving sound at the deep purple corset that, somehow, sprouted from nowhere a purple brocade tailcoat that stopped mid-thigh. It was purple too if a darker shade. If he was honest, the top looked like something Genesis would’ve worn at one of his gala or operas.

Swirls and ribbons came from the far end of the glinting background to dance in front of him, then they formed a bow in white and purple with a lot of unnecessary decorations. Zack frowned, a weapon was gifted to him and it was a bow? He didn’t use one since Gongaga, and he’d never been the best hunter with this.

He hesitantly took the weapon floating in front of him, feeling like he needed to. The bubble around him opened like a weird anti-gravitational flower. Zack ended up on solid ground, facing an army of troopers.

“For Freedom and Fun!” Zack yelled to no one, striking a pose.

He was glad the non-enhanced didn’t shoot him on the spot. The poor things seemed dumbstruck even with their face hidden by their helmets. He heard a click from a few photographs taken in the group. Zack chuckled nervously. There was a lot of them. He couldn’t survive that. Not without some heavy long-range ammunition or by suddenly being able to fly away.

The heavy decorated bow buzzed in his hand. His other hand felt like tiny needles were prickling his skin. He shook it to chase the sensation, just as the first row of bullets hit the ground at his feet.

Zack jumped away from their range, his mind whirring fast. His heart beating faster. He forgot in what mess he was just because of a strange materia.

 _Dumbest man alive!_  Zack thought of himself while leaping to the side.

His hand moved to reach the Buster Sword on his back since it wasn’t in his hand, but it reached nothing. A terrified whine escaped Zack. How was he going to defend Cloud if he had no weapon?

The bow buzzed again. Zack frowned at it, a curse word on the tip of his lips. But a new knowledge in his mind made him stop dead on his track. Another attack caught his attention.

“Wheel Protection!” Zack shouted instinctively for creating a purple transparent bubble that expended around him. It took the damage from the bullets for him.  “Wow, oh! Cool!”

Some troopers facing him lost their position, rather worried about this new situation. Zack could understand their point of view, but now he felt more and more excited. He started to get the gist of it. The little thing in the back of his mind was giving him instructions, weird, muddled instructions that lost themselves in his shot firing thoughts. Now that he noticed it, Zack could focus on following the advice.

He closed his eyes a second, imagining an arrow in his right hand. Just as the bubble cracked under the bullets, coming near its end, Zack stretched the bow’s string. He glanced at the purplish arrow of pure energy and shrugged mentally. Why not. If he was going to die, at least he would let a persistent mark in the surviving troopers’ mind.

“Wind Fetter!”

The arrow shot with immaterial strips of purple and white, sparkling and bubbling. It hit the middle of the group in a hair-ruffling explosion. Zack hunched over himself, shielding his eyes from dust and little flying rocks. When it calmed down, he glanced at the bow and whistled.

Another whistle, sombre, made Zack’s heart jump. He shouted again the name of the protection, though late enough for a few bullets to end their course in him. He hissed in pain, putting his hand on his bleeding thigh.

_Well then, no running off._

The sound of a helicopter finished crushing all his hope of getting out of the situation alive. He was too tired. The materia was sucking on his mana at a quick rate. He hadn’t too much time. He’d had to choose between taking down the remaining troopers or the Turks.  Zack smirked to himself, remembering Cissnei and all his interaction with the Turks during the years. The troopers would kill him. The Turks would stay silent about Cloud.

He took a deep breath and aimed his bow, another immaterial arrow in hand. He charged it the more possible and exhaled.

“Divine Strike!”

The blast of air was somehow more violent than the last attack. The helicopter even started losing its balance. Zack felt a push, he moved before his mind fully registered what happened. He ran to Cloud, the rocks crunching under his abrupt halt. He took Cloud, then he went to the edge of the cliff and jumped while the dusty cloud from the last explosive bow protected his back.

Rather than falling to his death – or at least to two broken legs – he gently floated to the ground the moment he approached it. Then the materia’s spell ended in a wave of twinkles and dazzles. He blinked and glanced down at Cloud.

“That was the weirdest experience of my life. Cool, but weird.”  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the thing ended as a somewhat serious fic... will I ever be able do to pure crack?


	4. Cloud

At first, Zack attributed Cloud's easy belief in the story of their escape to the fact he was still under heavy Mako influence and would believe anything. The ex-SOLDIER was so adamant, that he ended convincing Cloud for a while too. His mind was pretty malleable and he even believed he was a Chocobo for a while, the consequence of Zack's love for the bird petname. It was hilarious in retrospect, but Zack had freaked out. Cloud remembered the man crying and bubbling, saying he'd broken Cloud definetely. It was after a year on the run, so Zack was fragile mentally too.

Then Cloud started remembering his life before their arrival at Midgar. With a lot of help from the dark-haired. Though, Zack's frailty pushed Cloud to retrieve his memories the fastest possible. With them came old stories from his ma' and old gramps at Nibelheim who used to tell stories of people who could be able to transform into magical beings with huge powers.

He told Zack and Aerith, which only amused them to no end when he told them he thought Sephiroth was one of those being. Tifa never laughed, she kept so silent Cloud was sure she had the same thought when she met Sephiroth.

When sightings of Sephiroth started to reach them, Cloud had a nagging thought that only a magical being could be still alive. Even if an _evil_ magical being.

...

The first few weeks Cloud hoarded the infamous materia with what was apparent to obsession. He wanted to use it. Though, by Zack depiction of the event that led to the materia activation Cloud could do anything without any results. The materia did whatever it wanted. It activated when it felt like it was necessary.

Cloud didn't want to obsess too much about it - Zack already teased him about the length he went to activate it - so he gave back the materia to Aerith. Then it moved hands a lot as people tried their luck. They had to be careful it didn't stay hidden in Yuffie's stash, though. Or in Tifa's hands, as intent than Cloud on using it even once.

In battle, it was there, in someone's pocket, just in case.

…

Cloud whished the materia had helped him not to fall in Sephiroth's trap. It nearly killed Aerith. Might Zack hadn't followed him the moment he left to find Aerith - the rest of AVALANCHE on his trail - or even farther, she'd be dead now. She wasn't holding it to him, not out loud at least. Yet Cloud knew - how could it be different - that she blamed him. She didn't trust him anymore and with her, the rest of AVALANCHE.

Tifa had dropped the magical materia in his hand, silently, before going to talk to Yuffie. She abandoned him in the corner of the ship, clearly intent on avoiding him. She was just too kind for her own good and tried to cheer him up with the materia. Or maybe she tried to see if the materia would react like it did with Sephiroth. Tifa had it in hand when the man fell from the sky, Zack was protecting Aerith, and Cloud, stupid as he was, had stayed put just as Sephiroth changed prey. Tifa saved Cloud with her throw and the magical materia blackened and sputtered dark sparkles, far from pretty, the moment it hit Sephiroth's head.

Now, as it was rolling between his hands, the materia returned to its last purplish hue. Cloud would never use it, it was certain. Not with his betrayal. Though, he still had the materia with him when they found Sephiroth again. Cloud regretted not eating with the group, and consequently starving since Zack as everything went to hell.

One moment during the fight, Zack shielded him, "What are you doing? Did you lose all your reflexes or what?"

Cloud froze at the yell. He had been fighting badly, always hesitating between staying on the back, protecting the fighters or going into offensive.

Zack jumped back into the fray, intent on slashing the weird floating glob of chair that had part of JENOVA. Cloud was frozen by Zack's earlier remonstrance.

"Hey, buddy," Zack came back to him after killing the thing. His hand found Cloud's neck and squeezed reassuringly."We need you. We make a team. We're the best with all our limbs."

He ruffled Cloud's hair, comforting Cloud a bit. The rest of AVALANCHE said roughly the same in their manner, which finished to make him get his head in the game anew.

The next fight was somehow shorter, maybe they really needed him. Or the bizarre thing, a freakish thing that made Cloud cringe, was weak as shit, or the group had really missed Cloud's presence and his versatility. Cloud didn't let himself hope, he stomped on the thought, and hoped his help would calm all of AVALANCHE and their grief at his betrayal.

Cloud still felt the lingering presence of Sephiroth in his head when they arrived before the creature the General had become. There was something fascinating in this new form for Cloud, though a deep hatred that made his guts twist too. Because some part of him _wanted_ to join Sephiroth.

A scream from Aerith and the subsequent moves from Tifa to shield her friend made Cloud startle. He'd spaced out again. In the middle of the fight, when the life of his friends was at stake. He pared an attack sent to Zack, distracted by Aerith precedent scream, and ended projected a few meters away. Hurt, his vision swam as he brought himself up to his knees. He didn't realise the warmth on his arm until he was blinded by lights sprouting from it. Or the materia at his armband.

Now in an immaterial field of lights and colours, Cloud gasped in shock. His heart was thundering in his chest, but he still heard catchy sounds all around him. Excitement rose in him as a bright yellow enveloped his body. Zack had talked about the thing that entered his head. Cloud didn't feel like it was similar to Jenova's screech or Sephiroth's terrifying attractive presence. No, it was warmer and brought no pain with it. It didn't try to lure Cloud or dominate him. It only gave pointers about what could be done.

Cloud let himself be guided by the materia's presence in the back of his mind. He followed the dance steps with a growing excitement. It was certainly different from the cross-dressing Aerith pushed him to do. He lifted his arms in the air and twirled, the movement ending with a soft yellow skirt and a top in true nibel fashion materializing in a little explosion of colours. Cloud knocked his feet together, then t-strap shoes appeared. A flick of his hairs made a tiny crown appear on his head with a headband, the materia ending linked to it. For the final act, he clapped his hands two times. His skirt puffed up with white frills, a cute apron completed his looks and his weapon ended in his hand.

The bubble of lights burst open, revealing an AVALANCHE stunned by his new appearance. Then Zack hooted, and Aerith had a screeching and delighted laugh. Cloud buzzed with energy, he grabbed his spear with two hands and ducked his head, glancing at Sephiroth on his side. He noticed a fluffy wing above his shoulder and a broad smile spread on his face. He was the exact same thing his mother's tales told.

“In the name of Freyja!” Cloud exclaimed the moment safer Sephiroth's eyes meet his. He pointed the spear at Sephiroth, stood his ground and sneered, “I will fucking deck you!”

Tifa cheered him with as much excitement as Cloud felt.

“What? Isn't Freyja a goddess of love and is all things sweet?” Zack asked.

“She's as sweet as Aerith,” answered Tifa, a camera already in hand.

She just had the time to finish her sentence before Safer Sephiroth flew to the air, becoming Long Range and attacked again. Since she was behind him, Cloud stood his ground and faced the attack.

“Beauty Shield!”

Tifa gasped and clapped her hands, even if Barret was shouting at her to get back in the fight and stop being a child. Cid was cursing a lot. He was one of the few that had never believed in the power of the materia.

“Go, go, go, Cloud! Smash him!” Tifa yelled excitedly at him, ignoring Barret.

Sephiroth readied his next attack, Cloud reacted accordingly, asking the materia for his next move. It was a bit surprised by Cloud's step ahead but gave him an indication for a jump. Cloud did so, jumping higher than anything he could do on enhanced prowess alone, and stayed in the air, going toward a Safer Sephiroth as stunned as he. Cloud smirked as he tensed for his next attack. The lance in his hand gleamed a sun worthy light as magic pooled in it.

“Love Slash!”

Safer Sephiroth yelled in pain at the attack, Cloud fell back to the ground, shielding his own eyes from the brightness of his attack. When it stopped, Sephiroth looked like he lost a wing in the process, which only served to make him angrier. The green cat-like eyes zeroed on Cloud, making the blond gulp in fear. Before Sephiroth could move, the rest of AVALANCHE attacked him. It saved a bit of time to Cloud, who saw Aerith come to a halt next to him and grab his arm.

“Find the strongest attack you have and give your all.”

Cloud nodded in all seriousness. Before today he had wanted to make the most of the transformation, but now they were in a fight, and he should fight. He took a deep breath and mentally dived into all the materia's attacks, even some that weren't accessible to him. Then he fell on the perfect combinations that made him fidget in anticipation. When he looked back at Aerith she smiled knowingly.

“It's your time to shine, sunshine!”

AVALANCHE fell back into a defensive position, giving Cloud a bit of time to prepare. Sephiroth, wounded, took the time to do as well. If alone, it would have been a question of speed for Cloud, but he had his friends to support him while he focused, his weapon taking a dashing gold colour.

“Twinkling Storm!”

Cloud's attack was the exact thing he expected from the name, a giant storm engulfed Safer Sephiroth, sparkles, stars and heart shapes rolling in the heavy winds and tearing apart the screaming creature. If the attack was pretty, it was also terrifying in its intensity. The pain Safer Sephiroth felt made Cloud's heart twinge with satisfaction. The blond shook his head, it's wasn't time to get bloodlust like his Freyja. He took a calming breath, moved the lance in a circular motion, then fired his last offensive.

“Soul glint!”

He intruded in Sephiroth's mind with the same easiness Sephiroth had to goes into his Or maybe they _were_ in Cloud's mind since in the miles and miles of nothingness, he was standing bright with the presence of the materia – humanoïd but too intense to be recognisable – behind him. Sephiroth – human and somehow shirtless – had his eyes on it, he didn't react when Cloud's came closer, his heels echoing into the void place.

Sephiroth only looked at him when Cloud reached arm's length. The man smirked and Cloud already felt irritation for whatever spiel about his godlike nature and Cloud's worthlessness would come out. The blond reached for the man, caught two handfuls of hair, eliciting a surprised sound from the idiot, and drove his knees into Sephiroth's groin. A half-formed groan escaped the man with all his breath. Huge green cat-like eyes stared at Cloud from his kneeling position. Cloud pulled on the hair he still had in hand, making the silver-haired hiss in pain.

“You fucking twat. Stop being a bitch and go apologise to Zack!”

A strangled “What?” escaped Sephiroth.

The easiness Cloud had to hit Sephiroth was thanks to his previous attacks, contenting Cloud.

“You kept telling me you'd absorb everyone gnagnagna so we'd form only one entity and I was too messed-up by _you_ to realise you were the loneliest fuck ever and your 'burning the world' plan was only a big tantrum.” Cloud took a deep breath, let go of Sephiroth and crossed his arms. “You're going to apologise. Correctly.”

“I won't-”

“Yes, you _will_!”

Sephiroth ducked his head, his shoulders going up to hide part of his face and he looked away, “But-”

“Shh!” Cloud interjected with a good hit on the top of the silver head. “If it's not to say 'yes sir' keep your mouth shut!”

“I cannot choose?”

“No. it's clear you're terrible at the whole choosing thing.”

Sephiroth huffed, then sighed, but finally looked back up at Cloud, “I can't believe I'm submitting to a boy in a Chocobo suit.”

Cloud counted to five, well it was more like two and a half, then kicked Sephiroth out of this not-reality. The rest would be for Zack and his people skills. Before he left the place himself, he looked himself up and down. If he was a bit sad he couldn't see himself entirely he felt pretty badass. Hopefully, some members of AVALANCHE had taken photos.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well, finally this whatever thing is finished *longest sigh ever*

**Author's Note:**

> kudos & comments are my life blood! :D


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